Public hopes for Indonesia’s U-22 national team at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand came to an earlier end than expected. After briefly generating strong optimism, even amid nationwide euphoria following the senior team’s impressive run that nearly secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup, the Young Garuda were eliminated in the group stage.
This marked Indonesia’s first failure to reach the men’s football semifinals at the SEA Games since 2009.
Indonesia closed their final Group C match with a 3–1 victory over Myanmar at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai on Friday (December 12). However, the win was not enough to secure a place in the semifinals.
With a total of three points, Indonesia finished as runners-up in Group C, behind the Philippines, who won both of their matches to collect six points.
A Big Win, but an Early Exit
Indonesia entered the decisive Group C match under less-than-ideal circumstances after conceding first in the 29th minute through a goal by Min Maw Oo. Nevertheless, the Young Garuda responded well and equalized just before halftime.
Toni Firmansyah scored in the 45th minute, capitalizing on a mistake by the Myanmar goalkeeper while dealing with a corner kick delivered by Dony Tri Pamungkas.
In the second half, Indonesia dominated possession and applied sustained pressure on Myanmar’s defense. Despite creating several chances, additional goals only came in the closing minutes.
Jens Raven, who came on as a substitute, sealed the win with two late goals in the 88th and 90+5 minutes. His first goal came from an assist by Muhammad Ferarri, while the second was a header from another corner kick taken by Dony Tri Pamungkas.
Despite the 3–1 victory, the result did not alter Indonesia’s fate. With three points and a +2 goal difference, Indonesia lost out in the race for the best runners-up spot.
Malaysia, who also collected three points, held the advantage in goal productivity with four goals scored, compared to Indonesia’s three. As a result, the final semifinal berth went to Malaysia.
A Painful Chapter Repeats
This failure feels particularly stark given Indonesia’s status as the defending champions. At the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia, the team coached by Indra Sjafri captured the gold medal after defeating Thailand 5–2 in the final, ending a 32-year title drought. Two years later, however, the Young Garuda saw their campaign come to an abrupt halt in the group stage.
Head coach Indra Sjafri openly accepted full responsibility for the outcome. He acknowledged that, from a technical standpoint, failing to progress beyond the group stage was his responsibility as head coach.
As a result, Indonesia recorded its sixth failure to reach the SEA Games men’s football semifinals throughout its history, following previous exits in the 1983, 1995, 2003, 2007, and 2009 editions.
The 0–1 defeat to the Philippines in the opening match proved to be a decisive factor that haunted Indonesia throughout the group stage. The Philippines not only defeated the Young Garuda but also delivered a perfect performance to secure the top spot in Group C and advance to the semifinals.
This result brought Indonesia U-22’s campaign at the 2025 SEA Games to a deeply disappointing conclusion. Amid the positive momentum of Indonesian football and high public expectations, the setback serves as a reminder that consistency at the youth level remains a major challenge for the country’s football development.
